Battle of New Bern

The Battle of New Bern was an important American Civil War battle that was fought on 14 March 1862 in New Bern, North Carolina.

Just months after the start of the American Civil War, Union forces under Ambrose Burnside captured Hatteras Island, North Carolina, and the Confederates had only six regiments to defend the North Carolina coastline. On 7-8 February 1862, Burnside's Coast Division captured Roanoke Island, and the Confederate "Mosquito Fleet" was destroyed in a naval battle at Elizabeth City. The towns of Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds were now wide open to Union attack, and Burnside and his 11,000-strong Union division set out to take the most important town, New Bern. The undermanned and badly trained Confederate forces under Lawrence O'Bryan Branch fought behind prepared breastworks, but the Union troops exploited a gap at the center of the Confederate line and broke the Confederate militia. Soon, the entire Confederate force retreated, and they routed to Kinston 30 miles away. New Bern remained under Union occupation for the rest of the war, and Burnside then turned his attention to the port of Beaufort, leading to the Siege of Fort Macon.